Eco Sayulita Focuses on Biodegradable Products

Eco Sayulita formed early this year in an effort to make Sayulita a greener, more sustainable town. This group has organized river clean-ups; working to ensure that the water flowing into the river is clean and planting tule in the river to help filter out the pollutants. They also are working on a line of all natural cleaning supplies. One of the main focuses of this group is replacing Styrofoam and plastic products in Sayulita with compostable ones made from natural materials.

Why is the endeavor to replace these items with biodegradable products so important?

Sayulita is a tourist destination and as a result, we produce a lot of garbage for such a small town. Unfortunately a big chunk of that garbage is “single use products” made from Styrofoam and plastic. For instance, a large number of food vendors will serve your food on a non-recyclable container. You eat your food, toss the container and then it sits in the landfill, unable to break down.

What types of products are for sale?  

There are various sizes of to-go boxes, cups, lids, straws, plates, shopping bags and garbage bags.

If a business or restaurant does not offer a biodegradable option, what can a customer do?

People can carry a backpack or a cloth bag and use that bag to carry groceries or other store bought items. They can take a storage container to the butcher and ask that their meat be put into that container. They also can request that the business carry compostable products.

How can switching to products made from all natural materials benefit a business?

These days a lot of people are conscientious about the environment and how they can make changes to live a greener lifestyle. A fairly easy change is to try to eliminate the use of plastic and Styrofoam, which many people are doing. Eco Sayulita will be acknowledging the businesses that are carrying biodegradable products as eco-friendly businesses. They will receive a display of some sort, such as a poster, to acknowledge their participation in this program. They will also be named on the Eco Sayulita website to advertise and promote their sustainable efforts. In addition, a new Mercado del Pueblo website will be announced soon and will also include a complete list of green businesses.

Which Sayulita businesses are currently on board? 

Several local stores and restaurants are currently using these products or have committed to using them. This includes ChocoBanana, Don Pedro’s, Orangy Smoothies, Yeikame, Latitude 20 Sayulita (formerly named Don Chow), Ruben's Deli, Gypsy Gallery, Melly Milagro, Las Sirenas Beach Club, Panino's Bakery, Medusa, El Break and several mom and pop corner stores. Also, all of the vendors at the Mercado del Pueblo will be using biodegradable containers.

How can an order be placed?

Contact Eric Steinman or Stephen Dabrowski through the Eco Sayulita Facebook page. The Mercado del Pueblo, opening on November 7^th, will also have some of these containers available for purchase. Stop by to take a look and get more information about these products.